ABSTRACT
Multiyear data (2002-2015) on the biomasses of meio- and macrozoobenthic communities have been studied at different depths of a small lake in northern Karelia. A trend towards anti-phase changes in meio- and macrobenthic biomasses was observed and, as a consequence, the ratio between these components varied significantly in different years. Thus, inter-annual dynamics should be taken into account in analysis of hydrobiological data.
Subject(s)
Biodiversity , Ecosystem , Environmental Monitoring , Biomass , Geologic Sediments , Lakes , RiversSubject(s)
Ecosystem , Phytoplankton , Zooplankton , Animals , Finland , Geologic Sediments , Humans , Oceans and SeasABSTRACT
The current classification of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) consists of several distinct subsets. We describe 6 children (2 boys, 4 girls, mean age 3.7 years, range 2.0-4.9 years) with arthritis and eye involvement associated with infection with Chlamydia trachomatis. In some of the children, the clinical picture was similar to early onset pauciarticular JRA: onset within the first 4 years of life, predominance of girls, pauciarticular arthritis, subacute uveitis, and presence of antinuclear antibodies. Joint involvement was pauciarticular in 4 patients and polyarticular in 2. Two patients had clinical symptoms of Reiter's disease. Further investigations of this post chlamydial associated syndrome should be performed to establish appropriate diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic measures.
Subject(s)
Arthritis, Infectious/complications , Arthritis, Juvenile/complications , Chlamydia Infections/complications , Chlamydia trachomatis , Uveitis/complications , Antibodies, Antinuclear/analysis , Arthritis, Infectious/diagnosis , Arthritis, Juvenile/diagnosis , Child, Preschool , Chlamydia Infections/diagnosis , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Male , Prognosis , Uveitis/diagnosisABSTRACT
Patients with systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) are often poorly responsive to existing therapeutic modalities. We evaluated the effectiveness of pulse therapy consisting of methylprednisolone 30 mg/kg/day for 3 consecutive days combined with cyclophosphamide 0.4 g/m2 body surface area on the 3rd day, for 18 patients with definite systemic JRA, who were enrolled in an open trial of 12 months' duration. The children received pulse therapy every 3 months; oral methotrexate 10 mg/m2 was started after the first pulse. A rapid and clinically significant suppression of systemic and articular manifestations was seen in all patients. Significant decreases in laboratory indices of disease activity were also observed. Side effects were minor and reversible. The results of our preliminary trial support the development of a controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of pulse therapy in systemic JRA.
